Battery Directive - 2006 Battery Directive

2006 Battery Directive

The most recent Battery Directive, which entered into force on 26 September 2006, gave European Member States until 26 September 2008 to implement national laws and rules on batteries (Art.26 - Transposition). Some nations led the pack and had already started programs and passed laws in accordance with the spirit and specifications of earlier battery directives.

With the exception of "button" cells with mercury content of no more than 2% by weight, the 2006 Battery Directive restates the earlier battery directives' prohibition of marketing all batteries with more than 0.0005% mercury and 0.002% cadmium by weight. However, some exceptions exist (see below). The directive also mandates symbols for battery labels that indicate the battery's chemical contents if lead, mercury or cadmium.

Lead is no longer prohibited from batteries.

It states that it must be easy for consumers to remove batteries from electronic products.

There should be initiatives to reduce heavy metal in batteries, promote using less toxic substances in batteries, less batteries thrown in regular household waste, research initiatives in the above and in recycling, separation of battery types in disposal. Consumers should be informed of the dangers in non-compliant disposal of old batteries.